In an increasingly uncertain container shipping market, price volatility is one of the few entirely predictable things left, was Drewry’s wry assessment of the wildly fluctuating freight rates on East-West trades.

Maersk Line is still the world’s largest ocean carrier by capacity but its closest rivals, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM, posted higher fleet growth rates during 2015, according to Alphaliner.

The Asia-Australia container trade is facing capacity cuts and service withdrawals in the next few months that should give added impetus to rising freight rates that have been increasing since mid-year on a better supply-demand balance.

Carriers announced general rate increases that span into February this week, as spot rates around the globe respond to mid-December rate hikes. Drewry Maritime Research’s World Container Index composite index, which measures 11 East-to-West trade lanes, jumped a cumulative 35.8 percent this week.